Last Updated On June 10th, 2020
Almost every single parental decision that parents can possibly make today is scrutinized, and that includes whether or not they should do baby wearing. There are rumors and concerns that baby carriers can cause health problems for the parents. However, there are also concerns that they might be able to cause health problems for the babies themselves, which is often going to make parents even more concerned. One of the most common questions related to baby carrying and the health of infants is: can baby carriers cause hip dysplasia?
Baby Carriers and Hip Dysplasia
It should be noted that hip dysplasia is a complicated condition. For one thing, people with a family history of hip dysplasia are much more likely to have children with the condition, even if they do not have the condition themselves. Some of the causes of later hip dysplasia are going to be present at birth, and there is really nothing that parents can do about it. Even having some of the genetic risk factors for hip dysplasia can be enough to cause children to develop the condition, even if parents do everything else according to current modern public health guidelines.
However, many parents want a straightforward answer 
when it comes to the question: can baby carriers cause hip dysplasia? The short answer is that it is possible that baby wearing, if it is done incorrectly, can make the hip dysplasia worse in an infant who already has hip dysplasia. The thing is, people are not always going to know whether or not their infants have hip dysplasia, which can be a difficult condition to diagnose in an infant who has not learned to walk as of yet. It is possible that parents might be making the hip dysplasia worse in an infant that has not yet been diagnosed.
Still, it should be noted that the scientific data on this issue is complicated. Some physical therapists claim that baby carriers can at least contribute to hip dysplasia, although they are not going to cause it altogether. Some pediatricians and other scientists insist that this is not the case and that people are not going to have to worry about baby wearing and hip dysplasia at all. However, even they are going to recommend that parents get the baby carriers that are going to supposedly prevent hip dysplasia, since these baby carriers are going to make babies more comfortable and healthier in general.
The sling of the best baby carriers should provide enough support for the legs. The baby’s hips need to be supported in a v-shape, which should make all the difference in the world when it comes to the comfort the baby experiences. Often times, parents will notice the difference right away when they start using these particular baby carriers, since their babies are going to appear to be much more comfortable. Ultimately, even the critics of baby wearing can agree that it is the baby carrier itself that is the problem and not the practice of baby carrying.
Also see: Are Baby Carriers Bad for Your Back?